In a letter that was sent to 9 major airlines on Thursday, Pete Buttigieg, the US transportation chief, told them to pay for meals and hotels for travelers facing delays.
In the letter, Buttigieg called summer flight cancellation and delays "unacceptable" and shared data from the DOT that showed US air carriers canceled 3.2% and delayed 25% of domestic flights during the first six months of the year.
Buttigieg said in the letter that the numbers are not just numbers. Birthdays, graduations, time with loved ones and important meetings are missing.
Travelers that are stranded overnight should be given free lodging, and passengers that have flight delays of 3 hours or more should be given meal vouchers. The DOT will launch a new website ahead of Labor Day to keep travelers apprised of airline policies related to flight delays and cancellation.
The department expects airlines to provide timely and responsive customer service regardless of the cause of the delays.
There were thousands of delays and canceled flights this summer. The DOT is considering new regulations in light of the travel chaos.
There are no federal laws that require airlines to give free food or hotel vouchers when flights are delayed or canceled. The airlines don't give hotel vouchers if a flight is delayed or canceled for reasons outside of the company's control, according to Insider's Hannah Towey.
Airlines for America responded to Buttigieg's letter. The tight labor market is one of the reasons that weather has negatively impacted US flights.
According to Airlines for America, carriers strive to provide the highest level of customer service and look forward to working with the DOT to continue providing transparency for the traveling public.
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